Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette can do more than match Karim Benzema

Mesut Ozil has stated that Alexandre Lacazette can match former teammate Karim Benzema. But the Arsenal striker can do more than just match his French compatriot.

The signing of Alexandre Lacazette is a significant one. For many years Arsenal have been searching for a ruthless, clinical centre-forward. Ever since the departure of Robin van Persie in the summer of 2012, they have lacked the presence of a genuine and consistent goal-getter to lead their attacking line. Good news, then, that Lacazette arrived with exactly that reputation.

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Signed from Lyon, his boyhood club, Lacazette demonstrated a knack for scoring goals throughout his eight senior years with the organisation. In his final four seasons with Lyon, during which he established himself as the entrenched starting striker, Lacazette scored 15, 27, 21 and 28 Ligue 1 goals. Across the four years, he maintained a goal every 122.3 minutes, an excellent rate for such an extended period.

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And after a promising start to life in North London — five goals in 717 minutes of Premier League football –, the question of what he can become is one that is beginning to be debated and, tentatively, answered. Some see him as nothing more than a pure goalscorer; others fear for his lack of stature and physicality, especially in English football; some yet, believe that he can develop into a world-leading centre-forward. The truth is yet to be determined.

But when asked to compare him Karim Benzema, a former teammate of his Mesut Ozil, while admitting that their games are different, stated that he believes the current Arsenal centre-forward has the talent, the work ethic, and the desire to emulate his French compatriot:

"“I think Lacazette’s game is different. But I hope he will have as much success as Benzema. He has his head on his shoulders, he works hard. I wish him to score as many goals as Benzema with the French national team.”"

In his last nine seasons at Real Madrid, some of which were played alongside Ozil, Benzema has maintained a minutes per goal ratio of 135.3 minutes per goal. That is not a bad figure, in a vacuum. But when the context is considered — the standard of his teammates, the chances that they create, the greater ease in scoring a high volume of goals in La Liga –, suddenly, it is not quite as impressive.

Even if you were to disregard this current year, where he has scored just one goal in 405 minutes of league football, his minutes per goal rate stays fairly similar, at 133.1 minutes per goal. Now, Benzema does bring more than just goals to the Madrid attack. He holds the ball up well, he occupies defenders which creates space for the plethora of attackers that Madrid boast, and he lays on assists and engineers chances.

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But in terms of a pure goalscoring measure, Lacazette can do far more than just match Benzema. He can far outperform his French counterpart. Arsenal will be hoping that does indeed happen. There is, obviously, a long, long way to go.